Examples Of Personification In Romeo And Juliet

Love; Noun; an intense feeling of deep affection. The structure and language in the prologue of act 2 in Romeo and Juliet reveal a deeper meaning than what is originally presented. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story of love, pain, and feuding. It deals with two star-crossed lovers from rival families in Verona, Italy in the 1300s. In the prologue to act two of Romeo and Juliet, shakespeare uses early modern english, as well as literary devices, such as personification, comparisons/contrasts, foreshadowing, and analogies to create a deep meaning of love by having the chorus explain the love forming in the relationship between Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespeare’s use of personification in the first quatrain gives us context to Romeo’s recent feelings towards Rosaline and Juliet, and how his feelings have shifted from one to the other.“Now old desire doth in his deathbed lie” (Prologue 1). Shakespeare uses personification in his use of the word “deathbed” to reveal to us that Romeo’s love for Rosaline is dying and fading away quickly. “That fair for which love groaned for and would die with tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.” (Prologue 3-4). Shakespeare personifies that love once “groaned” for Rosaline, that he would do anything for her, because she was the one he once loved, but he now realizes that his feelings

“Now Romeo is beloved and loves again” (Prologue 5). Shakespeare’s use of the early modern english word “beloved” gives off a very holy or spiritual feeling, which adds feeling of genuine affection between the two, despite their possibly consequential actions. “But to his foe supposed he must complain” (Prologue 7). In the midst of all the talk of love, Shakespeare contrasts the lovers by pointing out the obvious fact; it’s hard to love someone who is your